CRAIG GARDNER is ready to step in as an emergency right-back for Sunderland’s Premier League opener at Arsenal this weekend.

With Phil Bardsley sidelined for several weeks after undergoing ankle surgery, Black Cats boss Martin O’Neill will be forced to find a temporary solution at the Emirates Stadium.

John O’Shea, Ahmed Elmohamady and new signing Carlos Cuellar can all operate at right-back, but Gardner looked solid when called upon to fill the role last season and he started Sunderland’s final pre-season friendly at Leicester in that position last weekend.

Gardner has made no secret of the fact he prefers to play in midfield, but insists he is happy to play anywhere for O’Neill.

Gardner, who played under O’Neill at Aston Villa earlier in his career, said: “The gaffer has to make the decision but he knows as long as I am in the starting 11 I don’t care where I play.

“Midfield is my favourite position and I did say when I returned to pre-season my target was to become a first-team regular and up my goals-to-games ratio.

“Ultimately, though, I am a team player and will do whatever I can to help out.

“I did not play right-back much at Villa, but it was Martin O’Neill who put me there.

“As long as I am running around at 3.00 on a Saturday afternoon then I am happy!

“Even if I was asked to play in goal then I would give it my all, that is the kind of person I am and that is what I want to do for Sunderland.”

O’Neill has been forced to use players out of position in pre-season as he battles against a lengthy injury list which has included Stephane Sessegnon (ankle), Wes Brown (knee), David Vaughan (hernia) and Connor Wickham (side).

Gardner, though, says the players have no problems adopting a flexible approach for the good of the team.

He added: “Here at Sunderland everyone fights for each other, so if I am asked to play right-back then I will.

“I know if I said I did not want to play there, then the lads would be asking questions of me and rightly so.

“That is what you need in football – everyone to do what’s best for the team.” Bardsley sustained his ankle injury on only the third day of pre-season training and, after initially making good progress, he suffered a setback.

The problem has kept him out of the Black Cats’ pre-season campaign, and O’Neill has now revealed the Scotland international has gone under the knife.

Hel said: “Phil Bardsley has had an operation. That is a real blow for us.”

Sessegnon – who has also played no part in Sunderland’s pre-season games – returned to training yesterday, while Brown and Vaughan are also making progress.

O’Neill added: “Stephane has done a bit of training and has not felt any effects.

“He has not been able to do that much but in the course of the next few weeks, in terms of the sort of fitness level he can attain, we hope he can get there pretty quickly.”

“Wes Brown is feeling a bit better but getting a bit annoyed injuries have plagued him.

“David Vaughan is making progress and he had an operation on his side to cure a problem, but has not joined in with us yet in training.”